Dancing Backward

OVERTHEPAST 10 YEARS, contemporary Portland dance ensemble BodyVox has distinguished itself as one of the most consistently innovative troupes in the city. But this month the group is allowing itself some time to revel in a bit of history—namely its own. Encores: The Best of BodyVox will feature up to 16 audience selections—from the lilting dreamscape of Reverie to the red-hued trapeze duet of X-Axis—all picked from an online ballot of original choreographies that the group has premiered in Portland over the last decade. “We think there is great value in looking back, revisiting a piece, and living in that work again,” says co-director Jamey Hampton, who compares staging the show to visiting old friends. “We have a loyal core audience here,” he adds. “They are keenly interested in what we’re up to next, but they have a rich history with us as well.”